Spray type washing machine for solid objects



May 3l, 1949. H. B. wlswALL 2,471,506

SPRAY TYPE WASHING MACHINE FOR SOLID OBJECTS Filed march 22, 194s Patented May 31, 1949 OFFICE SPRAY TYPE WASHING MACHINE FOR SOLID OBJECTS Harry Bruce Wiswall, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 22, 1943, Serial No. 479,976

3 Claims. (Cl. 134-98) 1 This invention relates to washing machines employing sprays for cleaning solid objects such as dishes, machinery parts, etc., as distinct from clothes washers.

An object of the invention is to -facilitate the successive application of different cleansing liquids to articles to be cleaned and to reduce wastage of such liquids resulting from contamination each with the other.

Another object is to increase the washing efficiency of a spray type mechanical washer.

Brley, I accomplish the first mentioned object by providing an elevated washing chamber with a plurality of separateitanks for containing different washing liquids therebelow in combination with a pump and a network of valved conduits such that liquid can be selectively circulated by the pump from any one of the tanks to the washing chamber and back to the same tank. I further provide for the draining of each liquid from the pipe network before another liquid is introduced.

I accomplish the second object by providing a rotary work supporting device in combination with a stationary system of spray nozzles within the washing chamber. The work may be rotated at relatively high speed while jets of cleansing liquid are sprayed thereon from the nozzles. This permits direct application of streams of liquid of substantial force to all portions of the surface of the object to be cleaned.

A full understanding of the invention, together with other minor objects and features thereof may be had from the following detailed description with reference to the' drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a simple embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 but with the front Wall and portions of the side walls removed to show the interior construction; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially in the plane III--III of Figure 2.

Referring first to Fig. 1*, the washer Vtherein disclosed comprises an external case substantially square in horizontal section (see Fig. 3) but of to 20, inclusive, which control various valves in the system. An additional valve handle 2| is mounted directly on a valve 2|| positioned in a drain line 22 which extends downwardly to a sewer connection. A water supply line 23 provides water for making up thesolutions and flushing the apparatus.

Referring nowl to Fig. 2, the washing chamber 24 contains a rotary work support comprising a lower shelf 25 and an upper shelf 26 secured to a vertical shaft 21 which is centrally disposed in the washing compartment 24 and rotatably supported by a lower bearing 28 and an'upper bearing 29, the latter being positioned in the top wall 30 of the washing chamber. The shaft 21 extends upwardly beyond the bearing 29 and has secured to its upper end a pulley 3| which is coupled by a belt 32 to the pulley of an electric motor 33. A switch 34 is provided on the exterior of the case for starting and stopping the motor 33. The upper shelf 25 is preferably provided with hooks 26| from which work pieces may be supported, or baskets containing work pieces can be supported from these hooks if desired.

In the particular design shown, four vertical pipes or headers the four corners of the washing chamber 24 and each riser carrying a plurality of nozzles 36 which are preferably connected to the headers 35 by considerably greater height than width. The upper portion of the case comprises a washing chamber which is closed by a door Ill. The lower portion of the case contains liquid supply tanks to which access can be attained by removing a door or panel Il. That portion l2 of the front wall of the case between the upper door I0 and the lower door or panel constitutes a control panel on which are mounted various handles I3 ball joints so that they can be pointed in any desired direction. The four headers are interconnected with each other by pipes 31 (Fig. 3) and a connecting fitting 38 to a common supply pipe 39 containing a drain valve IBI. Beyond the valve IBI, the pipe 39 extends through the wall of the washing chamber and connects to the outlet of a pump 40 which, as shown, is of the centrifugal type although it might be of any other type. The pump is preferably actuated by a small electric motor directly connected thereto and positioned back thereof. The pump may be protected by a shell 42. The inlet of the pump is connected to a conduit 43 which communicates with the valve l2I| which is a three-Way valve, one opening of which is connected to the sewer line 22 as previously mentioned. The third openm ing of the valve communicates with a conduit 44 which extends transversely through the case below the washing chamber and contains four valves ISI, IGI, |4| and |31, which valves are controlled by the handles I3, I6, I4 and I3, respectively. Beyond the last valve |3|, the conduit 44 communicates with the water supply line 23. A second conduit 45 extends from the sewer line y22 transversely within the case through three 35 are provided, one in each ofl valves 20|, and |5|, respectively, and thence to the drain outlet 46 of the washing chamber. A screen l1 is preferably provided in the bottom of the washing chamber to prevent the entry of large obj ects into the conduit 45.

Positioned below the conduits 45 and 44, within the lower part of the case, are three open top supply tanks 48, 49 and 50, respectively, each of which may have a gas burner 52 or 53, positioned therebelow and adapted to be independently supplied with gas through pipes 5||, 52| and 53 I, respectively, which may be supplied with gas fromv a gas main through any suitable type of control valve. The control valves-may be manually operated or may be thermostatically controlled to maintain a constant temperature within the associated tank in accordance with well known practice.

Each tank is supplied with a drain pipe 48|, 99| and 50|, respectively, which contain shutoff valves 482, 492 and 502, respectively, and communicate with a common pipe 54 connected to the sewer line 22.

To supply Water to the different tanks in making up cleaning liquids, a branch line 55, from the water supply line 23, is extended transversely above the tanks and provided with valved outlets 56, 51 and 58. -In some instances it may be desirable to automatically maintain a desired level of liquid in the tanks, in which case a float valve may be connected to the watery outlet. Such a float valve is shown at 55| in tank 48.

In operation, liquid is selectively circulated from the different tanks 48, 49 and 50, through the washing chamber 24 by the pump 40, and the vvalves in the conduits 44 and 45 permit selection of the tank from which liquid is circulated. Thus the valves 9|, |5| and |4|, are adapted to selectively connect the conduit 44 with any one of three conduits 504, 494 andv 484, respectively, which extend down into the lower portions of the tanks 50, 49 and 48, respectively. They are preferably provided with screens 59 on their lower ends to prevent the entry of large solid objects which may have been carried into the tanks from the washing chamber.

The return conduit 45, from the bottom of the washing chamber, is adapted to be selectively connected by the valves |5l, and 20|, either to discharge into any one of the three tanks 48, 49 and 50, or into the sewer line 22.

The valves are shown in normal position in Fig. 2 and the corresponding positions of the valve control handles are slown in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the valve |3| is closed, preventing entry of water from the water supply pipe 23 into the conduit 44 and that the valves |4|, |9| and 9|, are in off position, in which their associated pipes- 484, 494 and 504, are disconnected from the conduit 44 but the latter is open from the valve |3| to the valve 2H. It will also be observed that the drain valve 2H is in closed position, in which it connects the conduit 44 with the pump inlet pipe 43 but not with the sewer line 22. Similarly the return valves |5|, |'I| and 20| are in closed position, in which they prevent flow of liquid from the washing chamber through the pipe 45 into any one of thev three tanks 49, 49 or 50, but permit it to. flow straight through to the sewer line 22. The valve |8| is in closed position, in which it connects the outlet conduit 39 of the pump to the spray nozzles but does not permit drainage from the conduit 39.

Let it be assumed that the particular washer shown is to be employed for the purpose of clean- '4 ing machinery parts and that the tank 48 contains hot rinse water, the tank 49 contains a hot cleaning solution and that the tank 50 contains a cold presoak solution. Obviously under these circumstances the gas burners under tanks 48 and 49 will be burning but the burner under the tank 50 will be out. After the articles have been placed in thev washing chamber, either by resting them on the lower shelf 25 or hanging them on the hooks 26|, or placing them in baskets suspended from the hooks 26|, the switch 34 is actuated to start the motor 33 and rotate the work within the washing chamber 24. Thereafter the valve control handle 20 is rotated 90 counterclockwise into open position, in which the return conduit 45 from the washing chamber is connected with the tank 50. At the same time the handle I9 is rotated 90 clockwise into on position to connect the intake pipe 504 in tank 50 with the inlet conduit 43 of the pump 40. The pump is then -started by actuating its control switch 40|, whereupon the cold presoak solution is circulated from the tank 50 in through the pipe 504, the valve |9|, the conduit 44, the valve 2| I, the pump inlet conduit 43, the pump 40, the conduit 39, the valve I 8|, the fitting 38, the pipes 3l and the headers 35, to the spray nozzles 36. The cold presoak solution may be permitted to continue circulating for any desired length of time but it is desirable to stop the circulation after a short time by turning the valve |9| back into "oii position while leaving the valve 20| open to permit drainage of the excess solution from the washing chamber back into the tank 50. After the excess solution has drained back into tank 50, the valve 20| is returned to normal position and the cold presoaksolution flushed from the entire system by opening the valve |3| to introduce water from the water supply pipe 23 through theconduit 44, the pump and the washing chamber and thence through the drain conduit 45 to the sewer line 22. When the flushing is complete, the valve |3| is closed. Thereafter hot cleansing solution from tank 49 is circulated through the washing chamber by rotating the valve counterclockwise and valve |6| 90 clockwise. When this treatment has proceeded long enough, the valve |6| is again turned into olf position to stop the supply of the solution from the tank 49 to the pump and, after allowing a short time for excess solution to drain from the washing chamber back into the tank |49, the valve is turned to closed position and theI valve |3| again opened to flush the entire system with cold water from the water supply line. When this flushing operation hasV been completed, the valve |3| is closed and the valve |5| is rotated 90 counterclockwise and the valve |4| is rotated 90 clockwise to circulate hot rinse water from the tank 48 through the washing chamber. When this operation has been completed, the entire system may again be flushed with cold water by restoring the valves |5| and 4|4| to normal `position and opening the valve |3|.

Where the solution in any one of the tanks 49 or 50 is relatively expensive and should be'conserved to the maximum extent, the valve |8| may be moved into open position prior to the flushing operation to discharge all liquid remaining in the p ipes and within the pump into the washing chamber and thence into the drain conduit 45, fromwhich it will be returned to' the proper tank. This valve |8| is also preferably opened when the system is shut down at the completion of a, washingoperation to completely drain the pump 40 and the pipes within the washing chamber. y

The valve 2H is provided to facilitate complete drainage of the conduits 44 and 43. By turning this valve counterclockwise 90, it connects both the conduit 44 and the conduit 43 to the sewer line 22. Both the conduit 44 and the conduit 45 are preferably slightly inclined toward the right so that all liquid therein tends to drain completely into the sewer line 22.v

'A very important feature of the system is the arrangement of the conduits and valves whereby the liquid from any tank can be completely flushed from the system before a liquid from another tank is introduced. This is particularlyv desirable because in some instances it may be desired to successively wash with solutions which must be segregated from each other to avoid objectionable contamination.v For instance, it may sometimes be desirable to successively wash an object with an acidand then with an alkali, or vice versa, and obviously if any considerable quantity of one such liquid was left in the washing chamber or pipes and returned to the tank containing the other solution, the latter would be quickly weakened or its strength reduced to the point Where it would have to be completely replaced.

Various other procedures may be employed with the apparatus shown. For instance, if the device is employed as a dish washer, it may be desirable to initially direct hot rinse water, say from the tank 48, through the spray nozzles onto the dishes while leaving all of the valves I5I, I'H and 20|, in normal position initially to permit washing of the major portion of the food residue on the dishes directly into the sewer line, after which the valves might be readjustedl to circulate hot soapy water, say from the tank 49, through the washing chamber and back to that tank. This operation might then be followed by a final rinsing operation with hot water from the tank 48, either with or without a disinfectant in the water. Innumerable other specific procedures adapted for different washing operations will be obvious nozzles and a drain pipe, a circulating pump having an inlet and an outlet, means for connecting said outlet to said spray nozzles, a plurality of tanks positioned below said washing chamber for containing different cleaning liquids, each tank having an inlet and an outlet pipe, valved conduit means for selectively connecting the outlet pipe of any one of said tanks to said pump inlet, valved conduit means for selectively connecting the'inlet pipe of any one of said tanks to said drain pipe; a. sewer connection and a pressure water source, and means for admitting water from said source through said conduit means and pump and chamber to said sewer connection independently oi' said 6 tanks to ilush'said chamber, pump and conduit means from liquid 'of one of said tanks prior to admission of liquid from another of said tanks.

2; A washing apparatus comprising: a'. working chamber including spray nozzles and a drain sump; a pump having a discharge line connected to said spray nozzles; a plurality of tanks arranged side by side below said chamber; a supply 'and a return conduit extending across said tanks, the supply conduit connected with the intake of said pump, the other of said conduits connected with said sump, each conduit having laterals communicating with each of said tanks, and valve means disposed in series at the junctures of said conduits and laterals each adaptedto communicate with its lateral or to a succeeding valve means; a sewer conduit communicable with said supply and return conduits, the valve in the drain conduit associated with the end tank communicable with its lateral or said sewer conduit, and a, terminal valve in said supply conduit communicable with said sewer conduit or said pump.

3. An apparatus of the type described comprising in combination: a washing cabinet having spray nozzles, supply pipes therefor and a drain; a circulating pump having an outlet connected with said supply pipes; a series of liquid containers arranged in a row below said cabinet; a drain Number Name Date 1,172,300 Murray Feb. 22, 1916 l 1,405,243 Wing Jan. 31, 1922 1,550,439 Irvin Aug. 18, 1925 1,640,319 Halsey Aug. 23,1927 1,741,329 Montgomery Dec. 3i, 1929 1,907,269 Selmer c May 2, 1933 1,910,431 Newsome May 23, 1933 2,025,592 Kelly Dec. 24, 1935 2,066,232 Schmidt Dec. 29, 1936 2,153,577 Levine Apr. 11, 1939 2,175,677 Zademach Oct. 10, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 289,206 Italy Oct, 8. 1931 290,285 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1928 i 388,899 Great-Britain Mar. 9, 1933 452,510 Great Britain Aug. 24, 1936 conduit system for said cabinet including a main line communicating with a sewer outlet, a series of lateral pipes extending from said main line to each of said liquid containers,` and three-way valves disposed in series in said main line for communicating with a corresponding lateral pipe or communicating with the succeeding valve; a supply condult system for said cabinet including a main line extending between a water supply and a sewer outlet, a plurality of lateral intake lines extending from said main line to each of said containers and to said pump, a plurality of threeway valves disposed in series in said main supply .line for communication with their vrespective containers or communication with the succeeding three-way valve, and an end three-way valve communicable with said pump or with said last named sewer outlet.

' HARRY BRUCE WISWALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

